Tomlinson's sprain won't require surgery

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers will have reconstructive surgery soon on his right knee.

Philip Rivers' anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee is “totally gone” and he will have reconstructive surgery soon.

The recovery time for the surgery is not known but Rivers said he definitely will be 100 percent by the start of next season.

Meanwhile, Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson said his sprained MCL will not require surgery. About four weeks rest should be enough to heal the injury that kept him out of all but the first two offensive series of Sunday's AFC Championship Game.

“It's just time,” Tomlinson said. “It's not going to require surgery. Most of these injuries, when you have a sprained MCL, it takes four weeks.”

Rivers played the entirety of the Chargers' 21-12 loss to the New England Patriots with a right knee with no ACL. He revealed Monday he had arthroscopic surgery last Monday to clean out loose cartilage and enable him to play.

“If I don't do that Monday, I had no chance of playing,” Rivers said. The San Diego Union-Tribune first reported Friday that Rivers had injured
his ACL, but the extent of the injury was not known until today.

“The ACL is gone,” Rivers said.

Until Sunday night, Rivers and the team said his injury was just a sprained MCL.